Built for returns that do not fit the happy path

Tax prep software for real-life returns.

Combine documents, fill gaps manually, trace numbers to their sources, and review generated forms before you file.

Source-linked

review trail

$0

prep + forms

Local

normal prep

Messy return workspace

Review before filing

Reviewable

W-2

No issues shown

1099-B

Review

1098

No issues shown

Return trail

source-linked

Wages

$128,400.00

Federal withholding

$18,920.00

Mortgage interest

$14,212.18

Dividend income

$2,031.64

Next step

Inspect the output

See the generated forms instead of trusting a hidden interview flow.

Built for returns beyond the simple tier
Direct manual edits when automation misses
Final forms stay visible and reviewable
Tax documents stay local during normal prep

The problem

Tax apps are smooth until your return stops being smooth.

The hard part is not clicking through a wizard. It is knowing whether every document, adjustment, state detail, and manual correction made it to the right place.

Common pain

The simple-return trap

Many products feel easy until your situation needs investments, itemization, state nuance, or extra forms.

ErgoTax angle

ErgoTax is designed for reviewable complexity instead of pretending every return is simple.

Common pain

Manual entry with no map

When import fails, tax software often turns into a long sequence of fields with little context.

ErgoTax angle

Manual entry stays connected to the return, the document source, and the generated form.

Common pain

Black-box confidence

Interview flows can hide the actual tax forms and make it hard to understand what changed.

ErgoTax angle

ErgoTax keeps the output inspectable so you can see what the software is building.

Why ErgoTax

Less mystery than a tax wizard. More structure than a spreadsheet.

Privacy proof

Your tax return should not feed an ad network.

Some tax-prep sites have been reported to send sensitive taxpayer data to advertising platforms. ErgoTax is built differently: tax documents and return data stay local during normal preparation.

ErgoTax prep flow

No ad pixels in the preparation flow
No selling tax data
No cloud document storage during normal prep
Scrubbed crash reports only

E-file, if added in a future version, will require transmitting filing data to tax agencies and updated privacy terms before launch.

How it works

A calmer way through the messy middle.

Use automation where it helps, manual entry where it is needed, and visible forms where confidence matters.

01

Bring your documents together

Add W-2s, 1099s, mortgage forms, and supported state documents to one browser workspace.

02

Review the return, not just a wizard

See extracted values next to their sources, resolve uncertainty, and edit supported fields directly.

03

Generate forms you can inspect

Create federal and supported state forms locally for your review, then export or print when you are ready.

Built for

For the returns that make “simple filing” stop feeling simple.

Your return is not just one W-2
You have brokerage, mortgage, or education forms
You need federal plus supported state returns
You want to see the forms before filing

Pricing

Get to a return you can review before you pay anyone.

Preparation and local form generation are free in v1 and are intended to stay free. E-file is not supported in v1 and is planned as a future paid feature.

$0

prep + generated forms

Federal preparation

Supported state preparation

Manual field editing

Local save and export

Questions

Clear expectations before you start.

Is my tax data sent to ErgoTax servers?

No. During normal preparation, documents, extracted values, saved projects, and generated forms are processed and stored locally on your device. Standard infrastructure logs may still include limited operational data such as IP addresses.

Can I e-file with ErgoTax?

Not in v1. ErgoTax prepares and generates forms locally for you to review and file separately. E-file is planned for a future version and is expected to have a cost.

Does ErgoTax support state taxes?

Federal and state preparation are both in scope, but state support varies. Check the state support matrix before relying on coverage for your filing.

Start your return

Stop hoping the wizard got it right.

Build the return, inspect the sources, fix the gaps, and review the forms. Always verify generated forms before filing; ErgoTax is software, not a tax advisor.